Rule of Odds

Anyone use them?

Yes.

And rules are made to be broken

Left Handed Brisket wrote in post #18501389
Yes.

And rules are made to be broken

Thanks

I sometimes try to find some secondary interest (1) when shooting couples (2). Even when the secondary is all that interesting on its own, it seems to add some life to the static (2).

Here are some great words of wisdom by some of the greatest to push a shutter.

A little video by one of the greats.
https://vimeo.com/1166​92462 It's short and really worth a watch.

And some words by some of the greats.

"When subject matter is forced to fit into preconceived patterns, there can be no freshness of vision. Following rules of composition can only lead to a tedious repetition of pictorial cliches." - Edward Weston

"There are no rules and regulations for perfect composition. If there were we would be able to put all the information into a computer and would come out with a masterpiece. We know that's impossible. You have to compose by the seat of your pants." - Arnold Newman

"There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs." - Ansel Adams

"And in not learning the rules, I was free. I always say, you're either defined by the medium or you redefine the medium in terms of your needs." - Duane Michals

"There are no shortcuts, no rules." - Paul Strand

"Photography is not a sport. It has no rules. Everything must be dared and tried!" - Bill Brandt

"I came from the outside, the rules of photography didn't interest me... "-William Klein

"...... a photograph can look any way. Or, there's no way a photograph has to look (beyond being an illusion of a literal description). Or, there are no external or abstract or preconceived rules of design that can apply to still photographs. "-Garry Winogrand

and maybe my favorite " ......so called “composition” becomes a personal thing, to be developed along with technique, as a personal way of seeing." - Edward Weston

It's hard to disagree with any of that ... except that the so-called 'rules' do give you a frame of reference when composing a photograph. As long as they are treated as just a particular set of conventions that can be usefully taken into account in composition, they at least set you thinking about some of the right questions.

I'm happy to say that i'm so new to this that I have no idea what you are even talking about. But, after those quotes, i'm not even going to look it up as I don't want it always lurking in the back of my mind.

Never heard of the Rule of Odds.

Actually, I don't think I want to hear it.

But many people love the rule of thirds. It is cited so often. But most of the believers don't actually apply it when taking pictures.

I think some of these 'Rules' are written to get photographers (or artists) to make/capture more 'interesting' photos...looking at some of the photo examples of the Rule of Odds, it seems that
a number of them make the viewer's eyes roam around the photo, rather than to be fixed at a single point

I, too, had never heard of the Rule of Odds, although I have heard of 'not bullseye the subject' or 'capture elements which lead the eye around'.

Rule of odds is one of the 'odder'rules. According to it, the subjects you include in your images should come in ones, threes or fives, etc.

It's supposedly all about balance. I think it's a load of old tosh ... but thinking about how the elements of an image are balanced or imbalanced is not tosh at all.

There are a lot of different rules, so if you're making an engaging composition, chances are it's following it least one rule! I have a BFA in art, and have been through many group critiques. A lot of the theories of composition has to do with how your eye is lead throughout. Whether you have triangular leading lines or circular ones....rule of odds is just another theory in not centering everything and having some counterbalance to your composition. Another painter's trick in looking at composition is to take your image and turn it upside down...see if it makes sense or looks odd from a more abstract view.

DaviSto wrote in post #18501426
It's hard to disagree with any of that ... except that the so-called 'rules' do give you a frame of reference when composing a photograph. As long as they are treated as just a particular set of conventions that can be usefully taken into account in composition, they at least set you thinking about some of the right questions.

As Weston pointed out composition should become part of a personal way of seeing not part of some formula. I think things like RoTs do more to hurt new photographers than it does help because they then dismiss thus do not photograph things that fall outside those parameters. Also when they judge images they base whether it is good on those parameters. If you want to make photographs like everyone else makes then get RoTs scribed onto your focusing screen, I think you would be far better served to listen to Weston.

Watch the video I posted because I couldn't agree more with Maisel.

Rule of odds is just another silly rule just like RoTs. There is also rule of 1/5 or 4/5ths that some landscape photographers tend to go by. That is also a silly rule.

BTW I have a B/A in photography and have taught it on the college level.

The worst thing that ever happened to composition guidelines is when some jerk decided they should be called rules.



It has always puzzled me that these "rules" are taken so seriously by people who ascribe such importance to either ignoring or implementing them.

Kind of the same category as "I'm a natural light photographer."

Puke.

Do what works.

As Jay says....forget the rules and photograph what looks like it worth photographing to you. That said, things usually look pretty damn good in groups of three.

I watch the ID channel on tv and I have noticed the thought that went into scenes for their one hour show, most things I’ve learned here I can see them applied in their one hour show.
Until last night after reading about and viewing YouTube videos of Rule of odds, I noticed in the videos on the ID channel how they put the rule of odds to use and the used it a whole lot.
I guess it’s like when I first bought my Jeep seemed like every where I went I saw jeeps, I never payed attention to Jeeps until I got one.
Start at 4:08 in video https://youtu.be/n-1tq0FEBV4